This invention is directed to a device or assembly for raising and lowering a toilet seat. In particular the lift device includes a foot pedal and linkage assembly that can be adjusted to provide increased lifting forces and control the angle of the raised toilet seat.
A long time problem with toilets exists with the different ways the toilet seat is used by males when compared with female users. The toilet seat in one case is kept in a horizontal position resting on the toilet bowl and in the other case the seat is rotated about a hinge connecting the rear edge of the toilet seat with the toilet bowl. Many persons dislike touching the toilet seat with their hands, particularly in public toilets. The touching of the seat also results in a definite hygiene problem. As a result of this personal dislike, as well as the hygiene problem, numerous devices for raising the toilet seat without a person using their hands been provided heretofore. The prior devices have not come into very wide use, primarily because they were cumbersome, difficult and expensive to install and difficult to maintain and clean.
A number of solutions to the seat lifting problem disclose a foot activated devices where a pedal is displaced that rotates the seat by way of a connecting assembly from the pedal to the toilet seat. Typical patents that disclose a foot pedal with a connecting cable are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,150,446; 4,470,161; and 5,829,068. The ""446 patent includes a floor mounted foot pedal connected to a cable passing through a pulley and extends to an angle bracket which raises the seat. A set screw at the end of the cable adjusts the tension in the cable. In the ""161 patent resilient absorbing devices (springs) are added at the foot-operated petal and the control lever at the seat assembly to provide seat-rasing torque and shock absorbing forces. In the ""068 patent a cable is provided on each side of the toilet bowl and each cable is placed within and guided by an L-shaped member between the upper and lower couplers. These patents do not disclose a means for adjusting the connecting assemblies or the length of the cable to independently control the lifting force provided by the cable for raising the seat and the angle of the seat with respect to the toilet bowl.
Other solutions to the seat lifting problem disclose a foot activated devices where a pedal is displaced that rotates the seat by way of a connecting assembly of rods or shafts between the foot device and the seat hinges. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,165 discloses a system of shafts interconnected by shaft flanges within conduits that rotate or translate when a seat lift pedal is depressed and the first shaft is rotated to effect a lifting of the toilet seat. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,595 discloses a pedal movable about a base and connected to a rod. The rod is connected to the a power transferring means at the toilet seat to rotate the toilet seat. Once again, these patents do not allow for adjustments in the length of the rods and shafts for the purpose of easily controlling the torque on the toilet seat and the toilet seat angle with respect to the toilet bowl.
A further problem exists in providing enough torque to the toilet seat to start raising the seat but less torque when the seat has been raised. The control of the torque on the toilet seat hinges is desirable for smooth operation of raising and lowering the toilet seat. Various devices are provided in the art for assisting the user in applying a torque to the toilet seat when raising the seat by a foot pedal device. Typical patents providing the added torque in lifting the seat include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,705,330 and 4,426,743. In the ""330 patent a gear housing containing a gear train is mounted on an offset bracket attached to the toilet bowl. The gears provide a mechanical advantage when the foot lever is depressed. In ""743 the toilet seat is equipped with a helical spring to increase or bias the force or torque for raising the seat. This patent also uses a cable arrangement between the foot pedal and the fitting, having a crank element therein. These patents include components (i.e. gears and cranks) which are expensive to make and difficult to clean.
The need remains for a toilet seat raising and lowering lift device which can be easily and efficiently manufactured to be durable and reliable device for installation on a wide variety of makes and models of domestic and commercial toilets. The lift device should be adjustable to both control the lifting torque on the toilet seat and the toilet seat angle with respect to the toilet bowl. A further need is to provide an lift device which does not interfere with normal manual operation of the toilet seat for persons not familiar with the device.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat raising and lowering lift device which has the advantages of the art and overcomes some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith by solving the remaining needs previously discussed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foot activated toilet seat for raising and lowering lift device with a linkage assembly that has dual adjustment means for (1) optimizing the lifting torque on the toilet seat and (2) setting the desired angle of the lifted seat relative to the toilet bowl.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an lift device which can be efficiently manufactured to be durable and reliable for installation on a wide variety of makes and models of toilets without the need for special parts.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat raising and lowering lift device which allows the user to avoid unsanitary contact with the toilet seat minimizing transmittal of various viral and bacteriological diseases.
The above objectives are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a floor mounted toilet with a mechanical lift device comprising an adjustable linkage assembly connected between a foot pedal and a torque arm of a torque rod. The torque rod is affixed to a seat bracket of the toilet seat so that rotating the torque rod about a seat axis, by applying a pedal force on the foot pedal, raises and lowers the toilet seat to a raised seat angle above the toilet bowl. A base member mounted to the floor rationally supports the foot pedal and rigidly supports a vertical member having an upper end for carrying a pivot plate of the linkage assembly to rotate about a pivot pin defining a pivotal axis. The initial force to raise the toilet seat is provided by adjusted the first length of an upper rod of the linkage assembly. A predetermined raised seat angle is selected by adjusting the second length of a lower rod of the linkage assembly. The first and second lengths are adjusted by providing length adjusting devices, such as a turnbuckle.
In one embodiment of the invention a mechanical lift device is provided for raising and lowering a toilet seat of a toilet bowl mounted on a floor. The lift device comprises the following components and functional features. A torque arm and torque rod are attached to the toilet seat for raising and lowering the toilet seat when the torque rod is rotated by displacing the torque arm. A horizontal base member supports a vertical member having upper and lower ends. The base member is affixed to the floor and supports the vertical member at the lower end of the vertical member. A foot pedal having first and second ends is pivotally mounted to the base member at the first end and the foot pedal has a top surface accessible for the user to apply a pedal force. A linkage assembly, including a lower rod having a first adjustable length, a pivot plate pivotally carried at the upper end of the vertical member and an upper rod having a second adjustable length is connected between the second end of the foot pedal and the free end of the torque arm. Applying a pedal force to the top surface of the foot pedal lifts the toilet seat to a raised seat angle with respect to the toilet bowl and removing the pedal force lowers the toilet seat with respect to the toilet bowl.
One aspect of the lift device includes connecting one end of the upper rod to the torque arm and the other end of the upper rod to the pivot plate. The first adjustable length of the upper rod adjusts a torque arm force to lift the toilet seat when an axial force is initially applied to the upper rod by rotating the pivot plate. A further aspect of the lift device includes connecting one end of the lower rod to the second end of the foot pedal and the other end to the pivot plate. Therefore, when the foot pedal is rotated about a base axis of the base member by applying the pedal force to the top surface of the foot pedal, an axial force is applied to the lower rod to rotate the pivot plate. The second length of the lower rod is adjustable to provide a predetermined raised seat angle of the toilet seat relative to the toiled bowl when the foot pedal is fully depressed.
In another embodiment of the invention, a lifting and lowering assembly is provided in combination with a toilet. The combination includes a toilet seat having a pair of seat brackets for mounting said toilet seat on a toilet bowl of the toilet for rotational movement of said toilet seat about a seat axis. A torque arm and rod is affixed to the seat brackets to rotate the toilet seat when a torque arm force is applied to a free end of the torque arm. A horizontal base member supports a vertical member having upper and lower ends. The base member is mounted on the floor adjacent to the toilet bowl to support the vertical member at its lower end. A foot pedal is provided having first and second ends. The first end is rotatably mounted to the base member. A linkage assembly is provided to include a lower adjustable length rod, a pivot plate carried by said upper end of said vertical member and an upper adjustable length rod. The linkage assembly is connected between the second end of the foot pedal and the free end of the torque arm so that applying a pedal force, to rotate the foot pedal about its first end, lifts the toilet seat. Removing the pedal force lowers the seat to rest on the toilet bowl.
A further embodiment of the invention comprises a method for raising and lowering a toilet seat of a floor mounted toilet bowl of a toilet. The method includes the following steps:
a) provide a torque rod attached to the toilet seat and a torque arm for applying a predetermined torque arm force to the torque arm;
b) connect one end of a linkage assembly to the torque arm, wherein the linkage assembly has a pivot plate, an upper rod and a lower rod;
c) rotatably mount the pivot plate to an upper end of a vertical member supported by a base member mounted on the floor;
d) connect the other end of the linkage assembly to a foot pedal rotatably carried by the base member;
e) adjust a first length of the linkage assembly, being the length of the upper rod, to provide the predetermined torque arm force for initially raising the toilet seat;
f) apply a pedal force to the foot pedal to fully depress the foot pedal and lift the toilet seat to a raised seat angle with respect to the toilet bowl;
g) adjust a second length of the linkage assembly, being the length of the lower rod, to provide a predetermined seat angle less than 90 degrees;
h) remove the pedal force and lower the seat to rest on the toilet bowl; and
i) repeat steps f) and h) to repeatedly raise and lower the toilet seat.